PT police: Woman falsely reported shooting

Peters Township police leave a residence on Justabout Road Wednesday after being called there for a shooting incident that turned out to be a hoax. - Scott Beveridge / Observer-Reporter
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VENETIA – A Washington woman is facing charges over accusations she telephoned Washington County 911 Wednesday to report a shooting in Peters Township that turned out to be a hoax.

Police from multiple municipalities had surrounded a home at 400 Justabout Road following the 2 p.m. scare before the homeowner returned to the Howard residence and said the woman who placed the call had warned him about creating the fake scare, Peters Township police said. The victim played police a voicemail on his cellphone the suspect left stating she was going to “do this to cause them an inconvenience,” said Peters police Chief Harry Freucht. The call involved a report that an individual had been shot and was bleeding inside the house.

Police from Peters, North Strabane and Cecil townships, Bethel Park and state police were called to the scene, and some officers were armed with assault rifles. Freucht said a Community Emergency Response Team of armed officers was initially called to the scene, but the call was canceled before its officers arrived, police said.

Police were obtaining a warrant to arrest the woman, who was not immediately identified.

By the time police caught up with her Wednesday, she was heavily intoxicated, police said. They will arrest her at a later time.

Scott Beveridge

Staff Writer

Scott Beveridge is a North Charleroi native who has lived most of his life in nearby Rostraver Township. He is a general assignments reporter focusing on investigative journalism and writing stories about the mid-Mon Valley. He has a bachelor's degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a master's from Duquesne University. Scott spent three weeks in Vietnam in 2004 as a foreign correspondent under an International Center for Journalists fellowship.